Sunday, September 18, 2011

Terraced high on
Camelback Mountain above Paradise Valley is an exhilarating blend of serenity and
vitality: Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa is an extraordinary
boutique resort with luxurious mountain and spa casitas enhanced by spectacular
views. This 53-acre resort features the tranquility of an Asian-inspired spa,
as well as Scottsdale's golf, shopping, and cultural temptations. Whether
you're seeking solo rest and relaxation or a romantic getaway, the pleasing
colors (soft moss green, sunset orange, periwinkle blue, slate) of this
gorgeous resort are sure to set the right mood.

It has
been such a busy month--everyone kicks off their fall events and programs in
September--I have not had an opportunity to blog. But it's National Yoga Month and I need to
salute this age old practice which connects the mind, body, and spirit and has
so many related health benefits.

Spas all over the
globe are adding Yoga to their offerings as this ancient practice is
experiencing an upsurge in popularity.

Yoga helps to improve flexibility, strength, muscle tone,
breathing, posture and mood and can
significantly reduce stress, improve
concentration and help you sleep! And
who doesn't need a little more sleep and less stress?

There are many yoga classes to select from, so you need to
experiment and find which one works best for you.

·HATHA: You’re a beginner to yoga and keep
hearing the word “hatha.” As you experiment
with different styles of yoga, it’s helpful to know that most Western yoga
derives from Hatha, one of the six major branches of yoga. Hatha emphasizes poses
(asanas), breath control (pranayama), and relaxation to cleanse and strengthen
the mind, body, and spirit.

·ANANDA: You believe in the power of
affirmations. Silent affirmations during this practice’s
physical poses help you channel your awakened energies, including those of the
chakras. By practicing Ananda, you connect to a higher level of awareness.

·VINYASA FLOW: You’re past the beginner stage and
want to sweat a little more.In
this style, poses flow from one to another, transitioning with inhales and
exhales, and creating a dancelike movement. Flow classes tend to be vigorous
and are often not for beginning students.

·ASHTANGA: You like a Vinyasa-flow-style yoga
but prefer the same order of poses every time.Ashtanga has become a very popular style, featuring a
series of poses that promote the flow of energy throughout the body. It’s an
extremely invigorating workout.

·POWER: If you do yoga in your gym, it’s
most likely this style.The term was created
so that an Ashtanga-style practice would appeal more to Westerners. Power yoga
emphasizes the workout aspects of yoga, rather than its spiritual benefits.

·INTEGRAL: You love the idea of promoting the
greater good through your yoga practice.Founded
by the Reverend Sri Swami Satchidananda, this style introduced many young
people in the ’60s to yogic philosophies. Gentle poses, sound vibration,
breathing, and guided meditation are its cornerstones, but the greater goal is
to radiate peace and tolerance throughout the world.

·IYENGAR: You love precision and props.Founded by I.K.S. Iyengar, this style involves holding
poses longer for greater intensity and concentration on proper alignment.
Iyengar also emphasizes the use of props such as blocks, belts, and chairs.

·KUNDALINI: The more spiritual, the better.Using chanting, meditation, poses, and breath, a
Kundalini practice helps you channel your energy from the base of your spine to
your whole being’s energy centers, or chakras.

·BIKRAM: You like it hot and
sweaty and practicing set poses.Since a warm body is
a flexible body, Bikram is practiced in a room heated to about 105 degrees with
40% humidity. This challenging yoga comprises 26 Hatha yoga postures and two
pranayama breathing techniques. The sequences work synergistically to improve
health and well-being.More here.

·HOT YOGA: You like it hot so you can achieve
maximum benefits.Some hot yoga studios
employ some of Bikram’s techniques but choose not to buy into a franchise to go
by this name, but many businesses that practice a variety of yoga styles now
use “Hot Yoga” if their studios are heated for maximum flexibility and deeper
poses.

·SIVANANDA: You believe in the power of
positive thinking and want to relax into exercise.Based on several forms of yoga, this practice works
five principles into every class, including breathing, relaxation, exercise,
diet, and positive thinking. A regular series of poses, breathing exercises,
and meditation get you to a very relaxed place.

·TANTRIC YOGA: You want to get closer to your
partner.This style is all about
intimacy with your partner, both sexual and spiritual. Like Kundalini, it’s
based on the belief that the source of all your energy resides in the base of
your spine. By practicing poses and breathing techniques with your partner,
this energy will work its way through your entire body.

·KRIPALU: You like taking it off the mat.Originating
from the Kripalu retreat in Massachusetts’ Berkshires, Kripalu promotes
awareness of body, breath, and mind through poses, breathing, and relaxation
techniques. The emphasis on thriving off the mat, and how connecting to that
life force assists with the inquiry of optimal living sets this style apart.

·NUDE: You like taking it off! Sure,
not wanting to spend 50 bucks on yoga pants is one motivation, but
practitioners love how doing yoga naked allows them to accept their bodies
as-is and makes them feel free.

·ANASURA: You believe it all comes from the
heart.A relatively new style of yoga founded by John
Friend in 1997, Anasura respects every student’s level of experience, promoting
the divine in body, mind, and spirit. With this style, the heart is the force
behind every action or expression of the pose.

·VINIYOGA: You want your
current state to drive your practice.This
style acknowledges that we are forever changing, and that one person is in a
different place from another. Practice is individualized for optimum health and
personal transformation.

Spa Girls Blog

I created the SPA GIRL blog in 2009 because I wanted to share my spa experiences.
I am a big fan of aromatherapy,
thalassotherapy, spa cuisine and history.
I love to pamper myself, inside and out! And why not? I work hard, travel a lot and find the spa experience exciting each and every time.
Since the beginning of history, people have resorted to springs, baths, and spas for the therapeutic effects and power of their healing waters. Today the Spa experience has expanded to include so many ways to live a happy, healthy, holistic lifestyle.
Relax, rejuvenate, and restore: that’s Spa Girl's motto.
Spa Girl covers a number of my interests including: aromatherapy, home spa treatments, spa modalities, feel good tips, spa destinations, natural products and spa foods.
Spa Girl is also on facebook where in addition to my blogs I post links to other spa writers, spa reviews and tips.
I have studied aromatherapy for a number of years and create my own salt scrubs, bath oils, soaps and skin creams.
I am an avid researcher and love to research all aspects of the spa industry, study and of course try every spa experience there is.
My other passion is art museums.